In their first game Locksley-less, the Lobos face in-state rival NMSU this weekend.
The Lobos have yet to win a football game this season.
Although George Barlow is now the head coach, he said that he is not making drastic changes to the way Locksley ran the program.
“I didn’t want to make wholesale changes right off the bat,” Barlow said. “I didn’t want to make it difficult for young kids during a tough transition.”
Some of the players said they are saddened by the loss of their head coach.
“We took our 48 hours of mourning,” wide receiver Deon Long said. “We all wish Coach Locksley was still the coach, but we have to rise above it and go out and win these next eight games.”
Last weekend UNM lost to Sam Houston State University; the Lobos, hoping for an easy win, paid the Bearkats $300,000 to come here.
Quarterback B.R. Holbrook said losing Locksley is a challenge for the team.
“It’s a huge void in our program right now,” Holbrook said. “It’s always hard to lose your head coach in the middle of the year.”
Linebacker Carmen Messina said the Lobos are feeling the pressure to get their first win of the season this weekend, especially against the Aggies.
“This is a very big game for us,” he said. “It’s probably the biggest game of my career. I won’t feel like my career is accomplished if I don’t walk off the field with a win against New Mexico State.”
Some players said that the firing of Coach Locksley puts more pressure on them to win this weekend.
“There’s a lot more pressure on us than before because I feel like we have to go out and get this game for Coach Locksley,” Long said.
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A combined five points have decided the last two games of the Rio Grande Rivalry, both of which NMSU won, thereby snapping a six-game losing streak against the Lobos.
The Aggies are 1-3. Their only victory of the season came on the road against Big Ten team Minnesota.
Up Next
Football vs. New Mexico State
Saturday, 4:30 p.m.
University Stadium
